Cleaning apparatus for domestic use

ABSTRACT

A cleaning apparatus for domestic use having: a bucket intended to contain water; a support mounted in the bucket and intended to support a water absorbing element for floor cleaning; a tank intended to contain water and provided with a nozzle intended to distribute the water contained inside the tank; and a support means fixed to the bucket to support the tank, in such a way that the nozzle of the tank is situated above the support in order to rinse the water absorbing element disposed on the support of the bucket with clean water.

The present patent application for industrial invention relates to a cleaning apparatus for domestic use.

The use of water-absorbing elements is known for cleaning floors and surfaces in general, which are passed on the surface to be washed in such a way to hold the dirt and are successively rinsed with water.

Such water-absorbing elements can consist in pieces of cloth that are moved with a stick in order to clean the floor, or in straps of fabric that are fixed to a stick, being commonly known as “mops”.

The water-absorbing element is generally rinsed in a bucket that is filled with water and possibly with a surface-active detergent.

Evidently, after rinsing the water-absorbing element in the water contained in the bucket, the water in the bucket gets dirty and needs to be replaced with clean water. Such a replacement operation is extremely uncomfortable, especially if the place where the dirty water can be discharged and the bucket can be filled with clean water is far from the place where the cleaning operation is being made. For such a reason, generally speaking, the user avoids changing the water in the bucket, compressing the water-absorbing element in the dirty water contained in the bucket, thus obtaining a very bad cleaning.

Generally speaking, the bucket with the water is provided with a support that is suitable for supporting and wringing the water-absorbing element. In fact, such a support consists in a basket provided with slots in order to let the water out.

The innovative research in the field of such cleaning apparatuses mainly considered the support used to wring the water-absorbing element. In fact, different types of wringing systems are known, with elastic wings, with mechanical kinematic mechanisms, with centrifugal rotation of the basket, and the like. However, such a research activity did not consider a system used to rinse the water-absorbing element.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,977 discloses an apparatus and a method for rinsing and disinfecting a mop used to clean floors and other surfaces.

The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art by disclosing a cleaning apparatus for domestic use that is practical, versatile, easy to use, inexpensive and simple to make.

These purposes are achieved according to the invention with the characteristics of the independent claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention appear from the dependent claims.

The cleaning apparatus for domestic use according to the invention comprises:

-   -   a bucket intended to contain water;     -   a support mounted in the bucket and intended to support a water         absorbing element for floor cleaning;     -   a tank intended to contain water and provided with a nozzle         intended to distribute the water contained inside the tank; and     -   support means fixed to said bucket to support said tank, in such         a way that the nozzle of the tank is situated above said support         in order to rinse said water absorbing element disposed on said         support of the bucket with clean water.

The advantages of the cleaning apparatus for domestic use according to the invention are evident. In fact, the user can rinse the water-absorbing element several times with the clean water of the tank, without having to change the dirty water contained in the bucket.

Such a system guarantees the perfect cleaning of the water-absorbing element and reduces the user's fatigue caused by the frequent changes of the water in the bucket.

Additional features of the invention will appear clearer from the detailed description below, which refers to merely illustrative, not limiting embodiments, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a cleaning apparatus for domestic use according to a first embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of a second embodiment of the cleaning apparatus according to the invention.

With reference to FIG. 1, a cleaning apparatus according to the invention is disclosed, which is generally indicated with reference numeral (1).

The cleaning apparatus (1) comprises a bucket (2) intended to contain water. A support (3) is mounted in an upper portion of the bucket (2) to support a water absorbing element (4). Advantageously, the support (3) is a basket provided with slots (30) in order to let the water out and wring the water absorbing element (4).

The water absorbing element (4) can consist in strips made of absorbing material that are attached to a stick (40). The water absorbing element (4) may also be a cloth, a sponge or the like.

A tank (5) is supported by supporting means (7) fixed to the bucket (2). The tank (5) is intended to contain water. For illustrative purposes, the tank (5) can have a volume comprised between 5 and 20 liters.

The tank (5) has a water dispensing nozzle (50) that is in communication with the interior of the tank and is disposed above said support (3) intended to support the water absorbing element, in such a way to rinse the water absorbing element (4) in a rapid and easy way. The nozzle (50) is disposed in a lower portion of the tank, frontally protruding from the tank.

Actuation means (6) can be actuated manually to open/close the nozzle (50) of the tank.

Advantageously, the actuation means (6) comprise a rod (60) provided with a lower end in communication with a shutter of a valve of the nozzle (50). A handle (61) is disposed at the upper end of the rod (60) in order to be manually actuated by the user without bending. The actuation of the handle (61) determines a rotation of the rod (60), thus opening or closing the nozzle (50).

The support means (7) of the tank comprise rods (70, 71) fixed to a back portion of the bucket and protruding in upper position from the bucket in such a way as to support the tank above the bucket.

Advantageously, the rods of the support means (7) comprise a telescopic system comprising two lower rods (70) fixed to the bucket (2) and two upper rods (71) that telescopically slide inside the lower rods (70) in such a way as to adjust the height of the support means.

The upper rods (71) are connected in upper position by a handle (76) intended to be hold by the user in order to transport the cleaning apparatus (1). Swiveling wheels are advantageously disposed under the bottom of the bucket (2) to transport the cleaning apparatus (1).

A strap (73) or bracket is used to fix the tank (5) to the rods of the support means (7). The strap (73) surrounds the tank (5). The strap (73) also supports a bracket (74) to support the rod (60) of the actuation means and a hook (75) to fasten the stick (40) of the water absorbing element (4).

In the following description the parts that are identical or correspond to the parts described above are identified with the same numerals, omitting their detailed description.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the cleaning apparatus according to the invention, which is indicated with reference numeral (100).

The apparatus (100) comprises a lid (20) disposed on the bucket (2). The support (3) is mounted in the lid (20). The support (3) is a basket with concave shape, which comprises a plurality of strips (31) that converge into a bottom wall (32), being mutually spaced in order to form slots (30) to let the water out. The strips (31) are elastically mounted in such a way that the strips are bent when the water absorbing element (4) is pressed on the strips (31), compressing the water absorbing element in such a way as to wring the water from the water absorbing element.

A wall (21) of the bucket (2) extends above the lid (20) behind said lid (20).

In such a case, the support means (7) of the tank comprise a base (22) that projects from the wall (21) of the bucket above the lid (20) of the bucket.

The support (5) is mounted on the base (22). The tank (5) comprises pins (53) that are engaged into slots (23) of the base (22) of the bucket, for example in bayonet or click-in coupling mode.

The base (22) has a circular shape and the tank (5) has a cylindrical shape.

Brackets (74) are fixed to the tank (5) to support the rod (60) of the actuation means of the nozzle (50).

A hook (75) is fixed to the tank to support the rod (40) of the water absorbing element.

A handle (25) shaped as an overturned “U” is fixed to the wall (21) of the bucket to transport the cleaning apparatus (100). A hook (75′) is fixed to the handle (25) to support the rod (40) of the water absorbing element.

Handles (56) are obtained in the tank (5) in order to lift the tank.

The bucket (2) has a hole on the base (22) to drain the water contained in the bucket (2).

A broom-cleaning device (8) is mounted in a back portion of the bucket (2), protruding outwards. The broom-cleaning device comprises a box (80) wherein a wheel (81) with a plurality of radial blades or brushes is revolvingly mounted. The wheel (81) is connected to a shaft (82) connected to a crank (83) that can be manually actuated by the user in such a way as to rotate the wheel (81). A plate (84) is mounted above the wheel (81). The plate (84) has an opening (85) in correspondence of the wheel (81).

In view of the above, if the bristles of the broom are disposed on the opening (85) of the plate and the wheel (81) is rotated, the blades or brushes of the wheel will pass through the bristles of the broom, removing the dirt, such as hair, fluff and the like, that is accumulated on the bristles of the broom.

Numerous equivalent variations and modifications can be made to the present embodiments of the invention, which are within the reach of an expert of the field and fall in any case within the scope of the invention as disclosed by the attached claims. 

1. Cleaning apparatus for domestic use comprising: a bucket intended to contain water; a support mounted in the bucket and intended to support a water absorbing element for floor cleaning; a tank intended to contain water and provided with a nozzle intended to distribute the water contained inside the tank; and support means fixed to said bucket to support said tank, in such a way that the nozzle of the tank is situated above said support in order to rinse said water absorbing element disposed on said support of the bucket with clean water.
 2. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, also comprising actuation means intended to actuate said nozzle in order to open/close the nozzle.
 3. The cleaning apparatus of claim 2, wherein said nozzle comprises a valve with shutter and said actuation means comprise a rod having a lower end connected to said shutter of the valve of the nozzle and an upper end connected to a handle that can be manually operated.
 4. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein said support means are rods fixed to a back portion of said bucket.
 5. The cleaning apparatus of claim 4, wherein said support means comprise a telescopic system comprising two lower rods fixed to the bucket and two upper rods telescopically sliding inside the lower rods in such a way as to adjust the height of the support means.
 6. The cleaning apparatus of claim 4, comprising at least one strap connected to said rods of the support means and surrounding said tank.
 7. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, any one of wherein said bucket comprises a lid where said support of the water absorbing element is mounted, and a wall that extends in upper position with respect to said lid, and said support means of the tank comprise a base connected to said wall of the bucket whereon said tank is supported.
 8. The cleaning apparatus of claim 7, wherein said tank comprises pins that are engaged into slots of the base of the bucket in bayonet or click-in coupling mode.
 9. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, comprising swiveling wheels mounted under a bottom wall of said bucket and a handle connected to said bucket in order to push the bucket.
 10. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, comprising a broom-cleaning device comprising a box wherein a wheel with a plurality of radial blades or brushes is revolvingly mounted; the wheel being connected to a shaft connected to a crank that can be manually operated by the user in order to make the wheel rotate. 